Barclays Premier League - Greatest: Villa verdict

Eurosport - Sun, 02 Aug 14:09:00 2009

The results are in and we can reveal that, according to Eurosport-Yahoo! readers, the greatest ever Aston Villa player is... Dwight Yorke.

FOOTBALL 1997-1998 Aston Villa Dwight Yorke - 0

The charismatic striker, who scored 97 goals in 231 appearances for Villa in a successful spell at the Midlands club during the 1990s, managed to garner 29 per cent of the vote.

But it was a close run thing, with Gareth Barry taking second place after winning 26 per cent. Perhaps Villa fans have already got over the midfielder's decision to leave Villa Park for Manchester City this summer?

Warhorse Paul McGrath - the only member of our predicted top three to make the actual honours list - came in third with 17 per cent of the vote.

Eurosport-Yahoo! verdict:

1 - Paul McGrath

2 - Gordon Cowans

3 - Pongo Waring

Readers' verdict:

1 - Dwight Yorke 29%

2 - Gareth Barry 26%

3 - Paul McGrath 17%

4 - Andy Gray 15%

5 - Peter Withe 5%

6- Gordon Cowans 4%

7 - Pongo Waring 3%

8 - Billy Walker 3%

20,477 votes at 13:00 2 August 2009

What you said:

Cornish Brummie: "For me it has to be Andy Gray. A great striker who could score with either foot and was equally good in the air."

ANDREW J: "Andy Gray without Brian Little, NO!!!!! Brian Little that one season laid 90 per cent of Andy Gray's goals on a plate and scored 25 goals himself. Great partnership but the brains was Brian Little."

Tuscanvillan: "Paul McGrath, in my viewing lifetime the best reader of the game and despite his off field problems, a real gentleman. If I'm not mistaken I believe he was one of the first Villa players to have an association with Acorns - the hospital for terminally ill children, who now are proudly in place on the Villa shirts instead of a commercial sponsor."

elmo: "McGrath... no question. Without doubt the greatest player to pull on a Villa shirt in my lifetime. There are too many legends to mention, as with any team, but Macca played above and beyond the call of duty."

Jamesbrimson: "600 plus appearances for Charlie Aitken makes me think he should have had a mention."

Eurosport

Comment 1 - 18 of 18

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. I cant honestly beleive this poll! as a villa fan its­ embarrassing that yorke is voted greatest player-­ although he was a good player he's not in the same­ league as mcgrath- cowens, withe, shaw, morley,­ saunders or even my favourite villa player dalian­ atkinson, i personally dont like yorke he was quick to­ slag villa off when he joined the blues! come on yahoo­ you cant be serious!!

    From Stephen, on Mon 3 Aug 4:33PM

  2. It does depend how long you have been watching, 52­ years in my case. Pongo and Hitchens before my time­ seem two dimensional. The rest mentioned are real. ­ Charlie Aitken was memorable for running towards the­ forward he was going to tackle. Andy Gray very brave,­ Brian Little early on had incredible balance and­ ability to ride a tackle. Bruce Rioch a thunderbolt­ shot and Allan Evans a great defender.

    Paul McGrath­ was the best defender I ever saw in claret and blue.­ Jimmy Rimmer the best keeper. The best attacker (all­ too briefly) Dean Saunders for the inventiveness of his­ goals, I did not know whether to laugh or cheer. If­ you ever saw Tony Morley at full speed you would not­ consider another winger. My all time favourite who­ shone like a beacon in an average team was John Gidman­ who could, and did, run with the ball from right back­ through the opponent's entire defence before­ scoring.

    From IAN, on Mon 3 Aug 11:42AM

  3. To be fair Dwight Yorke was a class player wherever he­ played. He did also get a champions league winners­ medal after Villa so to say that Barcelonaboy seems­ very harsh to me. He was great in his time.

    From andylowe18, on Mon 3 Aug 2:23AM

  4. #1 - Vassell...? the guy who left Villa to get­ success... some 3 rate Turkish team that no one gives a­ damn about!!!

    From jasonm, on Mon 3 Aug 12:41AM

  5. What an utter load of @#$%. Was this a real vote­ because if I stood outside Villa Park on any match dat­ with a clipboard and pen and started asking VILLA fans­ they would definately not have Dwight Yorke or Gareth­ Barry as their number 1 or 2.

    This is completely fixed­ by yahoo just to get people to make comments (like I­ have now done - well done yahoo). We all know that Paul­ McGrath is by far, the most well respected, best loved­ players ever to put on the claret and blue of the­ mighty Villa.

    We know it is true because there is not­ a match day go by without the sound of oh lord Paul­ McGrath at some point during a game, whether we are­ beating the scum 5-1 or getting thrashed by manure.

    I­ think all Villa fans need to email the yahoo sports­ team and tell them to change this as I cannot believe­ almost 6,000 fans voted for Dwight Yorke as the­ greatest player ever and although Barry was a fantastic­ player, as it is still fresh in the minds of Villa­ fans, I cant believe that over 5,000 put him second­ when Paul McGrath managed only 3400.

    From jasonm, on Mon 3 Aug 12:31AM

  6. where the the hell is good old deano,savo,and­ atkinson.they were all good players

    From thecornishchef, on Mon 3 Aug 12:05AM

  7. 2 of my favorites would have been charlie aitken and­ bruce rioch,
    and while a lot of supporters will hold­ his leaving against him , gareth barry has been one­ hell of a servant to the club.

    From mouse, on Sun 2 Aug 10:33PM

  8. Yorke was good, but any villa fan over the age of 30­ would vote McGrath. Same reason I didn't vote for­ Pongo Warning - he may well have been the best player­ the clubs ever known, but he pre dates me!

    From Steve, on Sun 2 Aug 10:26PM

  9. Football is not immune to develpment. Like any other­ sport, things have improved with time... including the­ players. it is elitist (and for no good reason) to­ suggest otherwise. I mean, its obvious, better diets,­ better equipment, dozens of years more experience for­ the coaches e.t.c Of course players are getting better.­ So to suggest that players who voted for Barry or­ Dwight Yorke aren't real fans is unfair. What are­ they going to do... travel back in time in order to­ view a more archaic version of football? Of course we­ have to appreciate the history of the sport, but the­ older fans need to give respect where it is due, to the­ future and the present as well.

    From TD, on Sun 2 Aug 8:08PM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    They are all s--t blue army!

    From jam.nicholls, on Sun 2 Aug 7:56PM

  11. Shows how clueless young Villa fans are, Dwight Yorke­ is a long way off Paul McGrath

    From Creaven91, on Sun 2 Aug 7:40PM

  12. it voted by by kids who only know yorke and barry, it­ is McGrath ask any real villa fan

    From Darren, on Sun 2 Aug 6:03PM

  13. LMAO

    From chelseaboy, on Sun 2 Aug 4:27PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    You know your team is shi.te when Dwight Yorke is voted­ the teams best ever player lol

    From Barcelona 2 0 Manchester United, on Sun 2 Aug 2:43PM

  15. Bizarre how Barry makes 2nd.

    From The Northerner, on Sun 2 Aug 2:25PM

  16. Peter Withe 4 me, followed by Paul McGrath, both giants­ on the field of play, but could read the game from both­ ends of the pitch!

    From tj.whelan, on Sun 2 Aug 2:16PM

  17. gordon cowans closely followed by paul mcgrath

    From paulmclaff, on Sun 2 Aug 2:06PM

  18. where is vassel you villans loved him when he was there

    From Jimmyrice man u are champs again, on Sun 2 Aug 2:02PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account